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8 hours ago | Rhys Sullivan
The Gold Coast Titans have rewarded Eddy Pettybourne and Agnatius Paasi for their impressive start to life at the club by handing the duo new two-year deals. The Kiwi pair joined the franchise at the end of last year on initial one-season contracts, but both players have done enough during what has been another tough first half of the NRL season. But while the Titans might be lower down the ladder than some might have expected, there have been plenty of positives for Gold Coast fans to take from the 2015 season, not least the performances of New Zealand forward pair Pettybourne and Paasi, who have both grabbed their opportunity with both hands since arriving at the club.
Pettybourne made a name for himself during his time with South Sydney before making the move to Wests Tigers in 2012 before ending his time in Sydney and signing for English Super League club Wigan Warriors on a two-year deal. Despite adapting well to playing in the northern hemisphere, Pettybourne was forced to bring a premature end to his time in the Super League due to personal reasons, making the return Down Under at the end of the 2014 season before being offered the chance to make it back into the NRL with the Gold Coast Titans. After initially joining on a trial, Pettybourne has done more than enough to prove he can bring something to this team and Titans fans will feel the forward deserved his new contract.
It was a similar story for Pettybourne's compatriot, Paasi, who signed for the Titans on a trial deal last November after an intriguing journey to the league, going on to earn a permanent deal and establish himself as an important part of this Gold Coast forward line. The 24-year-old started the season as an impact player coming off the bench but Paasi's form has seen him earn an increasingly bigger role for the Titans, completing his first full 80 minutes in a Gold Coast jersey in the defeat to the Sydney Roosters. He only made one appearance for the New Zealand Warriors before the Titans offered him the opportunity to stay in the NRL, and the youngster has taken his chance with both hands and added an energetic dimension to this pack, scoring his first try in the Round 4 victory over Cronulla.
While Gold Coast aren't going to be tearing up any trees with the likes of bet365 and other online bookmakers this season, there are some definite signs that this year could be a lot more of an enjoyable experience for Titans fans than the past five have been. Having started the season as one of the clear favourites to finish the year with the wooden spoon, Gold Coast fans are looking at the prospect of a possible late charge for a top-eight finish. With all that has gone on at the club in 2015, even being in with a chance of making the top half of the ladder is testament to the work done by this Titans squad and head coach Neil Henry.